You can create dictionaries with any data that is useful to the data project that you work on.
When you create a dictionary, the Configuration view displays fifty empty rows by default. You can enter data into any cell in any row. The dictionary does not evaluate the data that you enter, and the values in each column do not need to be objectively correct or incorrect. As best practice, enter data to the first cell in the first available row. After you add the data, save the dictionary.
You can add data to a dictionary in the following ways:
•Select an empty cell in the dictionary, and type data into the cell.
If the dictionary does not contain an empty row, use the Add Row option to add rows to the dictionary. The rows appear at the bottom of the dictionary.
•Copy and paste data from a list or table in another application, such as a web page.
You can paste the data to empty rows in the dictionary, or you can overwrite the current dictionary data.
You can also copy and paste data within the dictionary and paste data from another dictionary.
You do not need to add rows to accommodate data that you paste into a dictionary. The dictionary expands to accommodate the data that you add.
•Import data from a delimited file or a Microsoft Excel file.
To update the value in a cell, select the cell and type a new value. You can select cells or rows in a sequence and delete the data that the cells or rows contain.
Use Windows shortcuts to copy, paste, and delete data.
If you create a dictionary in Reference 360, you can view the contents of the dictionary in Data Integration but you cannot edit the contents in Data Integration. To edit the dictionary data, open the dictionary source in Reference 360.
Importing dictionary data from a file
You can import dictionary values from a Microsoft Excel file or any file that uses a delimiter that Data Integration recognizes. You can import the file data to an empty dictionary or to a dictionary that contains data. When you import the file data, Data Integration adds the data to the first empty row in the dictionary.
If you import data from a file with multiple columns, verify that the valid data column in the file matches the valid data column in the dictionary. The first column is the valid value column by default.
1From the Explore page, select and open a dictionary.
Or, click New and create a dictionary.
If you create a dictionary, complete the fields on the Definition tab.
2Select the Configuration tab.
3Select the option to import data from a file.
4In the Import a flat file dialog box, complete the following steps:
- Choose the file that contains the data to import.
- Select or clear the option to import column names. The option is cleared by default.
- Select the line in the file from which to begin the data import. By default, data is imported from the first line in the file.
- If you import data from a delimited file, select the delimiter. By default, a comma delimiter is used.
- If the file uses single quotes or double quotes as a text qualifier, select the text qualifier. By default, text qualifiers aren't recognized.
Note: A dictionary can contain a maximum of 42 columns. If you try to import a file with additional columns, you are prompted to reduce the number of columns in the file.
5Click Import.
6Save the dictionary.
Note: When you import a very large dictionary, the dictionary may be saved after the import operation is complete. A very large dictionary may contain up to 55 MB of data.
Rules and guidelines for importing data
Consider the following rules and guidelines when you import data:
•The import option supports CSV and Microsoft Excel files. The file must use the UTF-8 character encoding.
•You can import up to 55 MB of data from a file.
To add very large quantities of data to a dictionary, use the file import mechanism. Do not cut and paste very large quantities of data into a dictionary.
•You can preview up to 100 lines of data before you import.
•If a dictionary contains more than 100,000 rows, pagination applies to the asset and the rows are displayed on multiple pages. Each page displays 100,000 rows.
•When the quantity of data that you import exceeds the pagination threshold for dictionaries, the dictionary is automatically saved. For information about pagination in dictionaries, see Working with very large dictionaries.
•A dictionary asset page can paginate and display a maximum of approximately 500,000 rows of dictionary data. The physical limit for the dictionary depends on the quantity of data that the dictionary contains. You can use the query options to find and work with any data that the dictionary stores beyond the pagination limit. The complete dictionary data set remains available to assets that you test and to transformations that contain data quality assets.
The dictionary configuration pane displays the number of rows in the dictionary.